Rawhide knitting needle



0ct. 19, 1937. H. A. cooK r-:r Al.

RAWHIDE KNITTING NEEDLE Filed March 5, 1956 INVENTOR` Howard/.600 lr. .Sianley 1I 600K.

Patented Oct. 19, 1937 UNITED-STATES RAWHIDE KNITTING NEEDLE Howard A. Cook and Stanley-T. Cook, Southfield,

Mass., assignors to Turner &, Cook, Inc., Southeld, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application March 5, 1936, Serial No. 67,271

16 claims.

This invention relates to knitting needles, and more particularly to a knitting needle having two rigid end knitting points connected together by a central strand of flexible rawhide.

One object of this invention is to provide a knitting needle of the above nature in which the central connecting strand is of smaller diameter than the end knitting points. Y

A further object is to provide a knitting needle of the above nature in which the joints between the central strand and the knitting `points are smoothly tapered and of a very strong construction.

A further object is to provide a duplex knitting needle of the above type, which will be simple in construction'inexpensive to manufacture, easy to manipulate, and very eicient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view there have been illustrated on the accompanying drawing several forms in which this invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 illustrates a knitting needle embodying the features of this invention.

Figs. 2 and 2A respectively illustrate the appearance of the longitudinal section of a hollow metallic knitting point before and after the end of the central strand has been expanded by swelling to lock it securely within the hollow knitting point.V

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section of a modied form of knitting point made of vulcanized libre, and showing the hollow bore in which the rawhide strand is cemented.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged View of the knitting point of a modified form of knitting needle constructed entirely of rawhide.

In the use of previous forms of duplex knitting needles, considerable difliculty has been experienced due tc breakage at the joints between the knitting points and the central strand caused by the repeated bending strains to which said joints were subjected. The material being knitted was alsoquite apt to catch on the abrupt shoulders at said joints when knitting-01T from one needle on to the other. By means of the present invention, the above and other disadvantages have been eliminated.

Referring now to the drawing in which like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numerals ID and II indicate respectively a pair of hollow knitting points which are substantially cylindrical in shape and have the usual conical outer extremities or tips I2. The knitting points l0 and lI are provided at theirrear ends with short tapered ends I5 having interior openings I t of such a diameter as to snugly fit upon a flexible central strand I3 of rawhide, upon which the article being knitted is adapted to'be supported while the knitting points are being used to produce the stitches. The interior diameter of the hollow knitting points is considerably larger than the ends of the original rawhide strand I3 so as to permit the latter to expand by the use of a swelling liquid.

It is also within the scope of this invention to omit the liquid for swelling the end of the rawhide strand, in which case the enlargement of said end will be produced by the application of heat to the exterior of the surrounding knitting point.

In carrying out the features of this invention,

Va flexible strand I3 of rawhi-de or material having like physical characteristics will be employed. The rawhide preferably desi-red for use is taken from India water `buffalo hide, which is cut into solid strips of rectangular cross-section and of the desired length.. While thevstrips of rawhide are still wet,v theyY arev tightly twisted by suitable `means, not shown, until they assume a smooth cylindrical condition, and atthe same time are pulled longitudinally to remove practically all of the stretch but without removing the elasticity. In this process of twisting, l'substantially all of the Water will be pressed out of the wet rawhide, and the natural glue therein will cement the twisted portions together to form a hard flexible practically waterproof strand. The twisted strands will then be air-dried at a temperature of from to 120 degrees F., after which they will be kiln-dried at a temperature of from to 150 degrees F. The strands will then be ground to a uniform diameter throughout their entire length.

Previous to inserting the strand I3 into the hollow knitting points it and II, a suitable rawhide swelling liquid I4, such as hot water, glue, cement etc., will be placed in said points. After the end I'I of the strand I3 has been inserted into the rcspeotiveknitting point and comes into Contact with the` swelling liquid therein, it will swell to the shape I8 as indicated in Fig. 2A, and will completely lill the adjacent interior portion of the knitting point and become securely locked therein. If desired, heat may be applied to hast-en the swelling action of the rawhide. After the ends of the rawhide strand I3 have been secured within the knitting points I3 and II, the central portion I3 of said strand will preferably be treated with a suitable smoothing material, such as wood fille and preferably also with a waterproof finish, such as varnish. l

' In the form of the invention shown Vin Fig. 3, a knitting point is shown which is made of hard solid composition material, such as Vulcanized fibre. A hole is drilled or otherwise formed in the point 20 of a diameter sufficient to snugly fit over an end 2| of a rawhide strand 22 and to retain it therein by friction. -'Thel end 2| of the strand will be secured in place preferably by cement or glue, and an additional amount of said cement is employed at 23 to form an annular fillet at the rear end of the knittingr point 20. After drying, this llet will be smoothed off to form a flush joint. A suitable tapered end 24 is formed on the tip of the knitting point 2B.

In the modified form of the invention shown in` Fig. 4, a knitting point 30 of aV knitting needle Y which is made entirely of rawhide is disclosed.

The central fiexible strand 3| of saidA needle is"A points from the flexible central strand by break'-V age is practically eliminated.

While there have been disclosed in this specification several forms in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that these forms are shown for the purpose of illustration A only, and the invention is not to be limited vto the specific disclosures but may be modified and embodied in various other forms without 'departing from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope ofthe following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent is:

1. In a hand knitting needle, aAbody portion comprising a single strand of Water-proofed hard flexible resilient rawhide, and a knitting point of a diameter larger than said rawhide strand.

2. In a hand Vknitting needle, a body portion comprising a single circular strand of rawhide, and a hollow enlarged knitting point of different material secured upon one end of said rawhid strand.

Ybore in which one end of said strand is inserted,

and means in said bore to swell the aforesaid end of said strand to lock it securely in said bore. 6. A knitting needle comprising a single strip 'of hard rawhide twisted into cylindrical shape, and a hollow knitting point of material having a longitudinal bore in which an end of said strip is fitted, and means to cause adherence of said strip to said point within the bore thereof.

'7. In a hand knitting needle, a flexible central body portion comprising a single hard strand of solid rawhide, and a hollow knitting point of vulcanized brefitted over one end of said rawhide strand. y

8. In a hand. knitting needle, a flexible central Vbody .portion comprising a single hard strand of solid rawhide, and a hollow knitting point of vulcanized fibre fitted over one end of said raw.- hideA strand and secured thereto.

9. A hand knitting needle comprising a single strand of hard flexible solid rawhide. Y

10. A hand knitting needle comprising a single strand of hard twisted flexible solid rawhide.

11. Ahand knitting needle comprising a cylindrical strandof rawhide, and a tubular knitting point surrounding one end of said strand, said strand being securely locked within said knitting point by the expansion of the end of said strand by theapplication of heat to said knitting point.

of hard flexible solid rawhide coated with a wood filler for producing asmooth surface on said strand.

13. A hand knitting needle body comprising a strand of rawhide of cylindrical shape.

l4."A hand knitting needle body consisting essentially of hard flexible rawhide.

15. A hand knitting needle comprising a strand of hard ilegible solid rawhide.

16. A hand knitting needle comprising a strand of hard flexible solid twisted rawhide.

HOWARD A. COOK. STANLEY T. COOK.

4.o. v12. A hand knitting needle comprising a strand 

